Bariatric surgery is a treatment for morbid obesity that involves alteration of a patient's digestive tract to encourage weight loss and to help maintain normal weight. One common type of bariatric surgery is gastric bypass surgery which aims to decrease the size of a patient's stomach. In particular, the stomach is divided into upper and lower pouches using a stapler and/or stitches. The jejumum (the middle section of the small intestine) is also divided into two parts. One part of the jejunum (called the “Roux limb”) is brought up behind the colon and lower stomach pouch, and joined or “anastamosed” to the upper stomach pouch. The remaining end of the jejunum is attached to the side of the Roux limb. As a result, a new digestive pathway is created, where food travels down the esophagus, into the upper stomach pouch, and through the anastamosis into the Roux limb. Digestive juices from the stomach, the liver, and the pancreas travel through the lower stomach pouch, down the duodenum and jejunum, and into the Roux limb where the two parts of the jejunum are attached and further digestion takes place.
While effective, gastric bypass surgery is not without complications. For example, scar tissue can develop in the stoma (the junction between the upper stomach pouch and the Roux limb), creating a stricture which can make digestion difficult. As a result, further surgery needs to be performed to remove the stricture. Several devices are available for dilating strictures. For example, a tube can be inserted down the patient's esophagus and manipulated to break up the tissue surrounding the stricture. While this can be effective, it can be difficult to fully re-open the stricture. The procedure can also be very time-consuming. Another common device used to dilate strictures is a balloon catheter that is inserted down the patient's esophagus to position the deflated balloon within the stricture. The balloon is then expanded to expand the stricture, thereby re-opening the passageway. Balloon catheters can be effective, however the balloon can break when expanded against the stricture.
Accordingly, there is a need for improved methods and devices for dilating strictures.